LIBERATE

Shifting the Culture By: Krystal George, MPA, CHES
What is sexual assault? What is consent? “Yes means Yes!” “Consent is
Sexy!” These are all questions and phrases that we ask, answer, and shout in
the world of gender violence prevention. On a college campus it is vital to educate
and make students aware of gender violence, with the hopes of preventing
it from occurring. Unfortunately, the national statistic “1 in 5 women and 1 in 16
men are sexually assaulted while in college (Christopher P. Krebs, 2007) ” has
not changed much in the last 20 years. Here at Duke, based on the most recent
Student Experience Survey, “40% of undergraduate women reported they were
sexually assaulted since enrolling” (Duke University, 2017). Also, based on this
survey, “Black/African American and Hispanic female students reported higher
percentages than other race/ethnic groups among undergraduates” (Duke University,
2017). Women of color are often forgotten about in the discussions of gender
violence prevention. Prevention has advanced tremendously; and while students
understand sexual assault and consent and are aware that it happens, we still
have practically the same amount of assaults happening on college campuses
around the world.
There is a need for the voices of women of color on campus to have a place
at the table when discussing the issues of sexual violence, intimate partner violence,
sexual harassment, and stalking. The prevention work that the Women’s
Center does is steeped in intersectionality and Womanism; however nothing
speaks volumes like the voices of the female students of color. Not only do we
need the voices of the female students of color, but we also need for our male
students of color to be a part of this movement as well. Discussions about gender
violence are a great place to start, but we also need action on campus. This
means taking a look at ourselves, and holding ourselves accountable for changing
the culture on campus. Shifting the culture on campus for students of color
comes in many forms. Here are a few to start with:
1. Being an active bystander.
2. Attending a sexual misconduct taskforce meeting, so that students of
color are represented.
3. Creating a taskforce within your organization.
4. Collaborating with the Women’s Center.
5. Calling out inappropriate behavior of peers.
6. Using your voice!
Works Cited
Christopher P. Krebs, C. H. (2007). The Campus Sexual (CSA) Study: Final Report. National Institute of Justice.
Emilie Buchwald, P. R. (1993). Transforming A Rape Culture. Minneapolis, MN, US: Milkweed Editions.
University, D. (2017, February 20). Duke Student Affairs. Retrieved February 18, 2018, from Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Response:
https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/sites/default/files/2017-07/Student_Experience_Survey_1.pdf